Torrential Rains Leave Flooded Homes, Injuries in North Dakota

Torrential rains led to weekend flooding in parts of North Dakota, inundating or threatening more than a dozen homes in the west and causing at least two injuries in the east.

Many areas of the state got several inches of rain on Aug. 15 and 16, leading to flash flooding. National Weather Service reports show that southwestern North Dakota got as much as 10 1/2 inches of rain.

Dickinson set a city record for the date on Aug. 15, with 1.85 inches of rain, according to the weather service. That broke the Dickinson record of 0.87 inches set in 1981.

More than 15 homes in Dunn County were affected when the Knife River overflowed. State game wardens early Saturday had to use a boat to rescue Inky and Clara Paulson when floodwaters poured into their home, forcing them onto the roof.

“I was down in the basement, gathering up a few things to take upstairs, when all of a sudden one of the windows was pushed out and it just gushed through like a river going through the basement.” Clara Paulson told KXMB-TV.

County Emergency Manager Denise Brew said the flooding was “totally different than anything I’ve been involved in.”

A motorcyclist in Jamestown hit sediment in a flooded viaduct on Saturday and lost control of his bike. He and his female passenger were treated at a hospital for unknown injuries, KQDJ radio reported. Authorities did not identify the two people.

City officials closed the underpass. Crews were removing the sediment and other debris on Aug. 18.

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